The present invention relates to brackets in general, and to assemblies for connecting mailboxes to posts in particular.
Stanchion mounted mailboxes have been associated with rural areas as postal carriers seldom travel the long, rugged driveways associated with farms or remote locations. More recently, efforts to obtain greater letter carrier efficiency have meant that mail deliveries to the homeowner's door have been curtailed for newer construction, making the roadside mailbox more prevalent in suburbia, and even in newer urban developments.
Most roadside mailboxes are mounted to a post in order to elevate the mail receptacle in a manner conducive to drive-up usage by a postal carrier working out of a truck or car, thereby increasing the efficiency of mail delivery. The post in many cases is made of wood due to its low cost and ability to withstand the rigors of outdoor use. In addition, wood posts offer adequate strength and classic appeal in a variety of settings.
In one common configuration, a wooden cross member or arm is connected to a wooden post at a height adequate for drive-up usage. The arm provides support for the mailbox cantilevered from the post. The cantilever provided by the arm is important as in many situations the postal worker must contend with curbs or ditches that reduce the allowable distance from the vehicle to the mailbox. Although the cantilever offers a positioning benefit, it also creates a lever action that places stress on the joint with the post. As a result of this stress, and the natural movement of wood as it expands and contracts, the joint between the post and the arm is a significant point of failure. Even if the joint doesn't completely fail, over time the arm may become loose and sag. To prevent sagging or deflection, the arm is sometimes braced by another wooden member extending between the arm and the post. In addition to these two members, post mounted mailboxes also require additional components, fabricated from wood, plastic, or steel that serve as the mounting apparatus for the mail box itself. In some cases the mounting apparatus is an assembly of small brackets, however in most cases it is a mounting board. The board is attached to the cantilever arm, and the mailbox is then attached to the mounting board.
The usual method of construction of the cantilevered arm involves a tongue on the arm which extends into a groove or recess on the post. This traditional wood joinery technique requires skills and equipment not possessed by all homeowners. As a result, mass produced kits are available, but often such assemblies can be lacking in a desired quality of fit and appearance.
Various specialized mounting brackets are available, either configured to a specialized mailbox, or designed to mount a standard mailbox in a specified fashion. Preferably a single bracket would offer a variety of mounting options to the user.